I'm so honored to be running the 2024 New York Marathon with Team ALS in honor of my late Grandmother, Elene Solomon who passed away from ALS in 2012. 

In our lives if we are very lucky, we have someone who is always there for us, who loves us truly unconditionally and sees the best in us even in the moments we cannot see it in ourselves. For me my Grandma 'Lene was that person. She played a pivotal role in helping to shape the woman, wife, mother, and friend I am today. 

When she was diagnosed with ALS it was hard for me to even believe this disease was really happening to her. As I watched her become a prisoner in her own body, knowing that the same vibrant, beautiful, and loving person still lived inside of her but that her body was failing her was absolutely heartbreaking to me. It has been more than a decade now since I lost her but the love I feel for her is still ever present, always with me and as strong as it ever was. ​

Running for Team ALS is an exciting opportunity for me to support those affected by ALS, to spread awareness of the urgency of this cause and to fight for treatments and a cure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive disease of the nervous system that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Presently, there is no known cure for ALS. Every ninety minutes, someone is diagnosed with the disease, and someone passes away from it. 

This cause is extremely personal to me. I believe that each one of us can make a difference in this world and raising money for such a worthy cause is a great place to start. As a way of saying thank you I would like to take my donors with me on race day. I will be wearing a personalized shirt with the names of all my supporters who helped me reach my fundraising goal for ALS. 

Thank you so much for supporting me on my journey.

With my sincere thanks,

Brianna Adams